The present invention relates to a folding key for vehicles, for turning on and off an ignition switch or the like of the vehicle and, more particularly, to a folding key suitable for use in motor tricycles and four-wheeled buggy vehicles for travelling on a waste or rugged land.
A folding key for turning on and off an ignition switch provided on a body outer surface of a vehicle of the kinds described above is known from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 36-12592, for example. The folding key comprises a key body, and a cap serving also as a knob and attached to a base of the key body. The key body has a base end pivotally mounted on the cap so as to be capable of being raised and levelled with respect thereto to allow the cap to cover a keyhole, in order to prevent dust and rainwater from entering the keyhole.
With such publicly known folding key, however, disadvantages have been encountered that since a coil spring for retaining the key in a raised position is provided in the cap, the cap has a thickness increased to provide a space for receiving the spring and, accordingly, it would be difficult to accommodate the key in a keeping location and it would be inconvenient to carry the key, and that if the key is attached to a buggy vehicle or the like travelling on a rugged land, dust and sand would adhere to the spring, the spring seat, etc. to prevent the key body from being raised and levelled smoothly.